For Your Consideration - Rabbi Mark Dov Shapiro

    There never seems to be a good time for this question, but many people I respect believe that if more Jews were to ask this question, there would be much to gain from the answer. My teacher, Rabbi Larry Kushner, recently described how he asked "the question." He wrote as follows:

    "Last winter I participated in a conversion. The female convert hadn't intended to convert before her wedding because the groom's rabbi had said it was a long process and the groom, himself, wanting to respect his fiance's religious integrity, didn't want to exert undue pressure. I had run into them at a party six months earlier; where I got to ask my question: "Why don't you join us? Would you con-vert to Judaism?" She looked at me and said, "Do you really mean it?"

    Six months later the same woman was now standing in the waters of the mikveh. She was becoming a Jew. As her sponsoring rabbi had taught her; she had memorized the Shema so she could recite it as part of the ceremony. Together with the other witnesses, I stood in the hall as her sponsor asked to her to say the Shema. But to my surprise, she didn't recite it. She sang it was now from there in the water was now she sang about her commitment to our God and our people."

    What do you think? Are there people in your life to whom you could put "the ques-tion?" If you asked someone you loved to become a Jew, would it be intrusive or might the response be surprising? Are there people in our community who live with and love Jews who might also be more than willing to become Jews themselves?

    What do you think? Is there someone just waiting for you to ask him or her, "Why don't you join us? Would you like to become a Jew?"

    If you’re not sure what to do next, let me know. I’ll be eager to know if “the question” makes sense for you.